American Literature

A Brief Introduction to American Literature

The Main Stages of A Literature

The Significant Differences Between

British Literature and American Literature

The Main Stages of American Literature

※Early American and Colonial Period to 1790

※Age of Enlightenment, 1776-1820 ※American Romanticism,1820-1865

※ American Transcendentalism(1836-1855)

※Poetry for a New World※ Classic American Novelists

※The Age of Realism※American Naturalism※Boom Times and the Lost Generation

and the Southern Renaissance※Poetry between Two World Wars※ The Red Decade※American Drama※Black Writers and Jewish Writers※Postmodernism

The Main Stages of American Literature

A Brief Introduction to American Literature

The Main Stages of A Literature

The Significant Differences Between

British Literature and American Literature

The Significant Differences between British Literature and American Literature

Non-existence of folk literatureThe accounts of personal experiencesHighly theoretical writing American individualism

Early American and Colonial Period to 1790

Puritans Puritans was the name given in the 16th century to the more extreme Protestants within the Church of England who thought the English Reformation had not gone far enough in reforming the doctrines and structure of the church; they wanted to purify their national church by eliminating every shred of Catholic influence. In the 17th century many Puritans emigrated to the New World, where they sought to find a holy Commonwealth in New England.

a code of values, a philosophy of life, a point of view the absolute sovereignty of God, the total depravity of man(original sin) the complete dependence of human beings on divine grace for salvation the union of church and statethe dominant cultural force into the 19th century.

American Puritanism

Background

Early in the 17th century some Puritan groups separated from the Church of England. Among these were the Pilgrims, who in 1620 founded Plymouth Colony. Ten years later, the first major Puritan migration to New England took place.

Puritanism

In late December of 1620, one hundred and two men, women, and children began to establish the second English permanent settlement in the New World. They named their plantation New Plymouth . Within the next few decades, New Plymouth gave rise to numerous townships and communities in the area that came to be known as New England.

Plymouth Colony

Introduction to the Colony

The Plymouth ColonyFlagship Mayflower arrives - 1620Leader - William BradfordSettlers known as Pilgrims and SeparatistsThe Mayflower Compact provides forsocial, religious, and economic freedom,while still maintaining ties to Great Britain.

The Massachusetts Bay ColonyFlagship Arbella arrives - 1630Leader - John WinthropSettlers are mostly Puritans or Congregational PuritansThe Arbella Covenant clearly establishesa religious and theocratic settlement,free of ties to Great Britain.

The Influences of Puritanism on American Literature1. Optimism A Literature is in good measure a literary expression of the pious idealism of American Puritans. ( a sense of mission ) Two dimensions of American dream 1. For the Puritans: to “build a city on a hill” 2. For the southerners: to “find the vale(valley) of plenty”

2. Symbolism

3. Simplicity in Style

The Writers in Colonial Period

William Bradford (1590-1657) Anne Bradstreet (c. 1612-1672)Edward Taylor (c. 1644-1729)

Governor of Plymouth Colony a deeply pious, self-educated man who had learned several languages, including Hebrew, in order to "see with his own eyes the ancient oracles of God in their native beauty.“ first historian of his colony.

William Bradford (1590-1657)

Anne Bradstreet ( c. 1612-1672 ) long, religious poems on conventional subjects such as the seasonswitty poems on subjects from daily life and her warm and loving poems to her husband and children.

In memory of my dear grand-child Elizabeth Bradstreet,

who deceased August, 1665.being a year and half old

1Farewel dear babe, my hearts too much content,Farewel sweet babe, the pleasure of mine eye,Farewel fair flower that for a space was lent,Then ta'en away unto Eternity.Blest babe why should I once bewail thy fate,Or sigh the dayes so soon were terminate;Sith thou art setled in an Everlasting state.

2By nature Trees do rot when they are grown.And Plumbs and Apples throughly ripe do fall,And Corn and grass are in their season mown,And time brings down what is both strong and tall,But plants new set to be eradicate,And buds new blown, to have so short a date,Is by his hand alone that guides nature and fate.

If ever two were one, then surely we. If ever man were loved by wife, then thee; If ever wife was happy in a man, Compare with me, ye women, if you can. I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold Or all the riches that the East doth hold. My love is such that rivers cannot quench, Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense. Thy love is such I can no way repay, The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray. Then while we live, in love let’s so persevere That when we live no more, we may live ever.

To My Dear and Loving Husband

Questions for Further Discussion:

Why did Anne Bradstreet leave every line without

further elaboration?What do you think of the last line?In what way does the poem reflect the influence of

Puritanism?What is the theme of this poem?

Edward Taylor (c. 1644-1729)

a teacher who sailed to New England in 1668 rather than a man taking an oath of loyalty to theChurch of England